The Investigator and His Dog
by attackonhunter
Summary: Hide was new on the job at the Public Safety Bureau. In one minute he already managed to piss off one of his subordinates, a white haired man named Kaneki. (Summary will probably change)
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: **My new HideKane story. I really can't get enough of these two. They're just too cute together.

**Chapter 1: New on the Job**

"It's nice to meet you!" Hide bowed low, grinning nervously at his subordinates. Subordinates seemed like an odd term to Hide. He had never had _subordinates_ before. Though it did have a nice ring to it and made him feel _real_ important.

He was fresh out of school and just starting his first job. He was an officer for the Public Safety Bureau, as the Sibyl System had determined for him. He wasn't surprised that was the result he got. He had always been interested in detective work and even if the Bureau wasn't the place that was determined for him, he still would have tried to get in. He loved it that much.

But, the Sibyl System held true. It was a system that determined a person's temperament, their psychological condition, and most importantly, a person's crime coefficient. A person's crime coefficient ultimately measuring how much of a hazard that person was to society and how likely that person is to commit a crime.

Hide himself had a rather stable crime coefficient in the low forties. It wasn't something he really _prided_ himself on, but he felt rather awkward standing in front of the people he was now.

Before him were his subordinates. They were known as the enforcers. Basically, they did his job for him, so he could keep his hands clean and not raise his crime coefficient. So one might wonder, what about their crime coefficients?

Well, they were all between one hundred and three hundred. All enforcers were.

The people known as latent criminals were people who had their coefficient between those numbers. Once their crime coefficient raised that high they were locked in a prison of sorts. Either they recovered and lowered their coefficients back down, or stayed there until they died. But, there was another option for those who had the aptitude. They could become enforcers.

Hide raised his head, rubbing the back of it, still smiling.

Thankfully, one of them smiled back. He was an older man and he had a kind face. "Hello, young Hideyoshi. My name is Yoshimura." Yoshimura gestured to the others expectantly.

The girl with dark hair scowled. She looked like she wasn't even an adult yet, though definitely in her late teens. "Touka." She said nothing else, but opted for glaring at the floor.

The man with the golden brown hair and glasses spoke next. "My name's Nishio. So, you're the new guy, huh? Hmph. Wonder how long you'll last."

Hide flinched, smile wavering. He looked towards the last person in hope.

Thankfully, he gave Hide a small smile. "Kaneki." Hide was surprised by his voice and soft face. Before, all he had caught was his profile. While he was short, even shorter than Hide, he was rather muscular. His muscles, with his kind expression and quiet, wavering and shy voice didn't quite match in Hide's mind. It would take some getting used to.

Amon clapped Hide on the shoulders. He had been standing silently beside Hide the whole time. "You should get to know your team before you go on any missions. Spend some time getting used to them and their quirks."

"Huh? Where are you going?" Hide spun, his eyes wide.

Amon patted his head. "I have work to do. Don't worry too much. You'll do fine."

"R-right." The door closed behind Amon as he exited the room, leaving Hide with the enforcers. "Um –" He turned back around, finding that Touka and Nishio had already gone off to the couch. Touka had headphones on, listening to music with her eyes closed, picking up her coffee which she had abandoned upon Hide's appearance. Nishio sat as far away from her as possible, grumbling to himself and picking up a handheld device.

Yoshimura smiled, heading over to one side of the room where a coffee maker was. "Do you like coffee, Hideyoshi?"

"I – uh – y-yes!" Hide stuttered. He wrung his hands together. He had never in his life been so unsure of himself. Usually, he could burst into a room with confidence and know what to stay, but with this group of people…

He glanced hopefully towards Kaneki, eyes lighting up. He was the one person who hadn't moved, who seemed just as awkward as Hide felt.

His strolled up, trying to be as confident as he could, spaying a lopsided smile across his face. "Hi. Ummm… so, how long have you been working this job?"

Kaneki looked uncomfortable, thrown off by the question. "About six months." He shuffled his feet, glaring at the ground.

"Oh – really. Ummm – why –"

Nishio's voice interrupted him. "I wouldn't ask that question, Hide."

Hide looked up. Nishio wasn't looking at him, but instead glared at whatever game he was playing. Hide bit his lip, realizing why his question was out of place. He was going to ask: why _are_ you doing this job? Even when people had the aptitude for the work, they didn't always choose to do it.

Glancing back at Kaneki, Hide could see he had his lips pinched together. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean too –"

"Yeah. I know." Kaneki pushed off the counter, striding away. Hide watched as he left, the door swinging closed behind him.

Nishio sighed from the couch. "Now you've done it. Kaneki's a pretty patient person. I must say, that is quickest I've ever seen someone make him leave the room."

Touka nodded in agreement, pulling off her headphones. "You should really be more careful with what you say around here. We have no need for careless people." She pulled out a pack of candies from her pocket, offering some to Nishio, to which he waved his hand at.

Hide flinched. He fucked up. In what? The first minute? Damn it.

"I wouldn't beat yourself up, Hideyoshi." Yoshimura offered Hide two cups of coffee. "Don't mind these two." He gestured to the cups now in Hide's hands. "Kaneki really likes coffee. Why don't you take that to him?"

Hide nodded his thanks, retreating slowly to the door Kaneki disappeared through. He walked into the room, surprised to find a small gym and training room. He saw Kaneki standing in the corner near the punching bag, changed into a pair of shorts and a muscle shirt, wrapping his hands with bandages.

Hide cleared his throat, announcing his presence. Kaneki looked up slowly, clearly not surprised. He probably noticed Hide the moment he walked in.

"Yes?" He tightened the last bandage on his palm, watching Hide expressionlessly.

Hide thrust the cup towards him, eyebrows drawn together in his stress. Hide heard a sigh and a faint sound as Kaneki unwrapped one of his hands. He gave a sigh of his own in when the weight of one of the cups in his hands was removed.

Hide grinned when he saw Kaneki take a sip, a pleased, peaceful expression coming over his face. Only when he turned and raised an eyebrow, did Hide realize he was staring.

"What is it?"

Hide jumped. "N-nothing!"

Kaneki hummed, taking another gulp of coffee as Hide stood, feeling out of place. He trained his eyes on a treadmill in the corner of the room.

He didn't realize Kaneki was saying something to him until a few seconds had passed. "Sorry. What was that?"

Kaneki huffed and for a second Hide thought he wasn't going to answer him. "I asked you why _you_ decided to work for the Bureau." He scratched the back of his head, putting the empty coffee cup on the ground by the wall.

As Hide talked, he rewrapped his one hand. "I've always really liked detective stuff. Going and solving mysteries, catching the bad guys. That kind of stuff." Hide grinned, stopping, realizing Kaneki was staring at him.

"You do realize this job isn't all fun and games, right?" He stared skeptically.

Hide's smile faltered. "Of course. I'm just… being –"

"Optimistic?" Kaneki frowned. "I guess you would be. You do have a low crime coefficient. Being surrounded mostly by other enforcers, I suppose it's easy for me to forget most normal people are."

"Oh. Y-yeah." Hide didn't know how to respond.

Kaneki's gaze bored into Hide's. "But, you need to be realistic Hide. You won't last long if you don't prepare yourself to see things you don't want to see. Because, you _will _see them. They will break you if you aren't ready."

"Thanks for the advice." Hide mumbled dryly. Did Kaneki really think he didn't know that? He heard a sharp thwack as Kaneki hit the bag. "I'll be leaving then."

Hide took Kaneki's empty coffee cup, leaving the room. He had gone there, planning on making amends, but in the end he thought he just made everything worse. He walked back into the other room, his head hanging low.

He heard Touka snort a laugh. "What did you do now? You look like a kicked puppy."

"Uh." Hide's hands clenched. He didn't respond, making his way to get more coffee.

How did he manage to make one of subordinates hate him on the very first day?

* * *

><p>Amon seemed concerned the next day when he went to visit the group. It was uncharacteristically quiet, even for them. He saw Hide sitting awkwardly to one side, everyone else sitting on the couch together.<p>

He gestured for the distressed looking Hide to join him. He gratefully moved out into the hallway with Amon.

"What happened, Hideyoshi?"

Hide rubbed the back of his head. "I think I pissed of Kaneki. And the others. But, mostly Kaneki."

Amon sighed. "He is rather touchy, but that's to be expected, after…" Amon trailed off shaking his head. "Don't worry too much about him. I'm sure he doesn't hate you. As for the others, they seem rather cold until you get used to them, with the exception of Yoshimura of course. He is a genuinely warm person. Just be yourself. It will be fine."

Hide opened his mouth to argue, but Amon pushed him back into the room with an affirming smile. Hide stood there for a few seconds before a loud blaring alarm filled the room.

Touka sighed, pulling the headphones off her ears. "Kaneki. It's you and I on duty. Let's go."

"You don't need to tell me that." He pushed off his couch, pulling on his jacket.

Touka and Kaneki went to the door and stopped, turning to look back at Hide.

"You know we can't leave without you. Right?" Kaneki muttered. "Let's get moving already."

* * *

><p>Hide clasped the Dominator in his hand, the gun that would decide a latent criminal's fate. If the target didn't have a high crime coefficient, it wouldn't shoot. But, if the target had one over one hundred, it would shoot a non-lethal tranquilizer. However, that was another story if the target had a coefficient over three hundred. He had heard stories about what happened when those people were shot and he didn't ever want to see that.<p>

But, he shouldn't be thinking about that. He had a job to do.

Kaneki, Touka and he were chasing after a man that had assaulted his girlfriend just an hour earlier. They had to chase the man down and capture him.

It was his first job. Hide's hands trembled around the Dominator. He could not screw it up. He could not screw it up. He could not –

A hand with black fingernails wrapped around his own. "You need to calm down. Just breathe, okay?"

Hide looked up at Kaneki's face, eyes wide. "W-what?"

"This is your first job, so I know you must be really nervous. But, don't forget we're here. We can pick up your slack if we need to. You just have to supervise us and keep us in line. Make sure we aren't doing anything wrong."

Hide swallowed. "And what if you are doing something wrong?"

Kaneki grinned, hand still curled around Hide's. He lifted Hide's dominator to his head. "Then," he said with a sly smile, "you pull the trigger."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Trigger**

Hide ran behind Kaneki, his Dominator drawn and held at his side. He tried to slow his breathing, but he couldn't calm the rapid beating of his heart. He watched the steady rise and fall of Kaneki's chest with useless envy. How could he stay so calm in a situation like this? They were chasing someone who had already committed a crime, and had the potential to commit another. It wasn't that Hide was worried about himself. He was far more worried about everyone else. He was worried about the civilians in the area and also for Kaneki and Touka. What if he screwed up and someone got hurt? What if things went south and he didn't know how to handle the situation?

Distracted, he ran into Kaneki when he suddenly stopped, earning a dark glare. Hide was about to apologize, and when Kaneki saw the slight opening of his mouth, he put his finger over his lips, silencing him. He tapped Hide's ear, indicating he sound listen. He paused for a second, but shook his head to tell Kaneki he didn't hear anything, which only earned him a roll of the eyes.

Kaneki gestured to him to go right down the alley, while he went left. Hide followed Kaneki's example, leading with his dominator pointed, ready to fire at a moment's notice. Hide may not have heard anything, but it was apparent Kaneki had, and that it was something that gave him enough reason to draw his gun. At that moment, Hide trusted Kaneki more than he trusted himself.

As he neared the corner of his alley, his remembered when he looked at the map before they set out, that the alley he was in, and alley Kaneki was in, reconnected after this bend. And, now that he was at the corner, he too heard what Kaneki had him listen for earlier. He heard a deep sobbing, but it wasn't from the alley, it was from within the building next to it.

Hide peeked around the corner, spotting Kaneki. When he motioned him to come to him, and Hide trotted up with a likeness he noted dully as to one as a dog. He though Kaneki noticed too, because the left side of his lips momentarily quirked up into a smirk before pressing back into a hard line.

"I would say that's the guy, since there was no other high crime coefficient recorded in the area." Kaneki whispered, leaning close. Hide waited briefly as Kaneki informed Touka of their location.

"Are we going to wait for her?" Hide questioned, eyebrows raised and hand loosely holding the Dominator.

Kaneki frowned at him. "No." He pivoted on his heel. "We're going to go forward. Touka is already on the other side of the building, be ready to shoot at the guy when he runs. Our job is to herd him there." He paused, scrutinizing Hide. "You should probably pull up the layout of the building."

"Ah, right." Hide muttered, fumbling to think correctly. Damn it. Was all his training going out the window?

He listened intently as Kaneki traced the hologram with his index finger. "You take this hall, I'll take this one. The crying seemed to be coming from this room, so if I startle him, he will run. He will try to go this way, but," He tapped his finger. "This is where you will be waiting, forcing him to take this route, to where Touka is. By that time he'll be too scared to evade us."

"But, won't that raise his crime coefficient?" Hide's jaw dropped, eyes wide.

Kaneki shrugged. "Most likely, though there isn't really a better way to do it. If you get a clear shot, take it. That's all you can do."

"But, what if his coefficient is…"

Kaneki gave him a firm look. "Then you pull the trigger, the decision on whether or not they are fit for society is Sibyl's decision, not yours. Trust your Dominator. It knows far better than you do."

"Don't you feel any regret when you pull the trigger? You're a latent criminal yourself… don't you…" Hide trailed off, staring at the ground.

"Feel any connection? Any empathy? No." Kaneki examined Hide, touching his chin lightly. "Neither should you. You don't want your crime coefficient to go up. If you can't handle it, just let us do the work. That's the way it's supposed to be anyway."

"That's not…" Hide sighed, hands clenching into fists. "I've wanted to be here my whole life. I couldn't stand… to be useless like that. There is no way I could let you guys do all the work. There's no way I could…" another sigh. "I can do it."

"If you say so," another skeptical glance was directed towards him. "Just make sure you know your limits. There are too many investigators who have crashed and burned." Kaneki glanced down to check the time. "Touka should be in position now. Let's get a move on."

* * *

><p>Kaneki walked down his assigned hall. He was correct about which room the crying was coming from. The door was left open a crack, allowing the sound to float through. The sound made his stomach turn. Now, that he would hear it better, it wasn't the type of crying he was expecting.<p>

No, this crying was the type on the most desperate person would make. It was the sound of someone either undergoing unimaginable trauma or of someone fearing their imminent death. The hysterical sobs made Kaneki push the door open roughly, fearing the man had taken another victim.

He was surprised to find the room empty. With narrowed eyes he glanced around, taking a step into the room. He only noticed the small speaker playing the sound as his foot stepped directly on a tripwire.

He quickly stepped back, slamming the door shut and lunged as far away from the room as he could. An explosion sounded and the door was blown of its hinges, striking Kaneki as they both flew into the nearby wall.

He coughed as smoke filled his lungs and felt the resounding sharp pain that shot through his chest. Pulling himself up, he was glad he was not injured bad enough to not be able to move. A few minor burns, a few broken bones, but nothing that would stop him from getting to Hide.

They had been set up.

* * *

><p>Hide jumped at the sound of an explosion. It made the floor under his feet shake, and he almost fell over as his hands shot up to his ears in response to the piercing sound. It seemed the explosion occurred where –<p>

"_Kaneki!"_ Hide yelled desperately. Shit. Was he hurt? Had he been caught up in it? Hide fidgeted. He was supposed to stay where he was and wait for the criminal, but if Kaneki was hurt… But, what if the explosion was part of Kaneki's plan to scare the criminal? If Hide went, he would jeopardize their mission. But, what if Kaneki wasn't behind the explosion? What if he was lying on the ground, seriously injured and needing help?

A cold, metal object was pressed against Hide's head before he could make a decision. Hide froze, eyes wide. He turned his head to the side and found himself face to face with a Dominator. But, it wasn't shaped like his. It was shaped in a way Hide had only ever seen in pictures.

Lethal Eliminator Mode.

Hide yelped and ducked down just as the trigger was pulled. He scrambled back, diving behind another corner as the Dominator was fired at him again.

How was this possible? How? It wasn't supposed to be. Hide had a great psycho pass. It wasn't even near one hundred. So, _why the hell was the Dominator firing at him to kill?_

He was hyperventilating, pupils dilated in fear. Did his crime coefficient suddenly go up? Was he now a latent criminal? With a criminal coefficient high enough to warrant death? If so, then who the hell was firing at him? Was it Kaneki? Touka? He didn't have the nerve to peek around the corner to check. He was sure, that if he did, he would die.

His standing still did him no good. Sure enough, the Dominator shone as it came around the corner, pointed at Hide. In desperation he flung his hand up, forcing the gun to point at the ceiling. He didn't see Kaneki or Touka, instead he saw a man he didn't recognize.

Their eyes met briefly before Hide collided with him, trying to run him into the opposite wall. He hardly moved the larger man and was painfully knocked down to the floor, his head striking the concrete, making Hide's vision blur.

He distantly heard the sound of running feet and someone shouting his name. When he was finally able to focus there was a Dominator pointed at his head.

However, it was not the same Dominator as before. Kaneki was pointed it at his head with an unreadable expression. Hide gulped nervously, only relaxing as the gun was dropped.

"Huh." Kaneki remarked. "That's weird." He walked over to the window peering out. "It seems he's gone. It's not like he was the man we were looking for in the first place… I wonder where our real target is… what's he doing?"

Hide winced, sitting up. "What – what the hell –" His hand touched the back of his head and he hissed when he touched the tender skin.

"Are you hurt?" Kaneki's voice was suddenly filled with concern as he crouched next to Hide.

"I'll live."

Kaneki glowered at him. "Really? You look like you hit your head pretty hard. We _need_ to get that looked at. Now."

* * *

><p>Hide was lying in a hospital bed, under observation. He would have enjoyed being in the room, as it was usually empty. He didn't want to face anyone after he so horribly failed his first mission. However, he wasn't alone. Sitting up in the bed, blatantly ignoring the doctor's orders to rest, was Kaneki. In his hands was a collection of short stories. He looked absolutely engrossed, so Hide <em>guessed<em> it was almost the same as being alone, the only sound coming from Kaneki was his steady breathing and the sound of pages being occasionally flipped.

"You pointed the Dominator at me." Hide asked quietly, trying to not irritate the dull ache in his head that just wouldn't go away.

There was silence for few seconds before Kaneki mumbled, "hmm?" He placed the book down on his lap, looking up with weary eyes.

"The Dominator." Hide said a little louder, flinching at the sound of his own voice. "You pointed it at me."

"Yes," Kaneki picked the book back up, flipping it to the next page. "And?" Apparently the question didn't seem like one worth asking to him.

"_And?_ _Why the hell would you do that? You pointed a Dominator at an Inspector! What the hell!? What made you think –"_

Kaneki cut him off, raising his hand, bored with Hide's ranting. "That guy was firing at you using the lethal mode of the Dominator. I had to see your crime coefficient for myself."

"And what would you have done if it was high?" Hide's voice trembled. "What would you have done if it _was_ over three hundred?"

Kaneki opened his mouth like he was about to answer, but suddenly the door to the room burst open, revealing a young girl whose face was tight with worry. As soon as she saw Kaneki, her face brightened, as smile spreading over her lips.

"Big Brother!" She ran up and Kaneki pulled her into a hug. Hide marveled at his ability to do so, since it should have caused him great pain with his broken ribs. He made room for her to sit on the side of his bed. She glanced at Hide warily.

"That's the new inspector, Hide." Kaneki said. "Hide? This is Hinami. She is… an enforcer in training."

Hinami waved at him, smile seeming to radiate the sun. He watched as Kaneki and her interacted, shocked. How could such a sunny child like her have a crime coefficient to warrant being an enforcer?

**Author's Note:**Thank you for reading. Thank you to those who have reviewed: FreakyFee94, The Real JosephineSilver, Sachiel Angelo and Kayla TheMuffinLord.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: Caring**

Kaneki hit the bag again, sweat falling off his brow. In truth, he had noticed the presence behind him long ago, he just chose to keep ignoring it. He only turned when he had to pause to adjust the bandages on his knuckles. They had begun to slide off and on one, the skin was beginning to tear and bleed. He set his eyes on Hide, who was leaning up against the far wall looking sheepish. Kaneki's eyes traveled to his shorts and baggy tank top.

"Why are you just standing there?" Kaneki gestured to the various machines around them Hide could use. "Do something."

"Ah… yeah – right. I was wondering if you could help me with something?" Hide's eyes were bright and Kaneki scoffed lightly, knowing he would end up giving in anyway. He couldn't help it. He was a stickler for helping people.

"What do you want?" Kaneki turned his back, picking up his bottle of water and drinking deeply.

Hide grinned. "I want you to teach me how to fight."

Kaneki almost spit the water out of his mouth. Once he regained himself, he laughed, wiping his chin. "What the fuck? _Why?"_ He looked up, expecting it all to be a joke, but Hide stared back at him, intent and serious.

"After what happened during our mission…" He touched the back of his head where he had sustained his injury. "I was almost killed." His eyes cut to Kaneki. "I want to be able to defend myself." He also had other people he felt he had to protect. Hell, Kaneki was almost blown up.

Kaneki sobered, acknowledging his request earnestly. "You know it will probably raise your crime coefficient…"

Hide answered immediately. "I'm well aware."

Kaneki sighed deeply, pinching his nose between his thumb and index finger. "You're going to get yourself in trouble someday."

Hide didn't say anything, just waited for Kaneki's answer nervously. He clenched his teeth. If Kaneki turned him down he didn't know who he would head to. He knew the other enforcers did their own training, Touka especially, but he was almost positive she wouldn't help him. He didn't think Nishio would either. And he wasn't even sure about Yoshimura. Kaneki was his best bet.

"Fine." Kaneki muttered, making Hide grin again. "I'll do it. Don't say I didn't warn you." Kaneki abandoned the punching bag, taking a spot a few feet in front of Hide. "…lesson number one…"

"We're starting right –" Hide yelped, ducking under Kaneki's grab for his head.

Kaneki was smiling. "Don't get grabbed. Don't get hit. What if the person had a knife?"

Kaneki lunged for him again, making Hide duck out of the way, almost colliding with a machine. He tucked his shoulder in, just sliding past it.

"Be aware of your surroundings. If you get backed into a corner you will be screwed."

At that moment, Hide's back bumped up against the wall behind him and Kaneki's hand swung towards his face. His eyes widened before snapping shut, cringing to the side and bracing for the hit to connect.

It didn't.

When Hide opened his eyes again, Kaneki's hand was pressed flat against the wall beside his head. He was smirking, amusement bringing a twinkle to his eye. Hide glared at him and pushed on his chest with both hands, making him back away, out of his personal space.

"Again." He said heatedly. As soon as he said the word he had to dodge again. He ducked and rolled away from Kaneki's grabs, all while try to form a sentence, blurting out words whenever he had the chance. "Could. You. Just. Give. Me. A. _Fucking._ Second."

"Is your opponent going to 'just give you a second' in the real world?"

Hide opened his mouth to answer, but Kaneki tackled him, wrapping one of his arms around his thighs. Hide started to fall and he gasped. His head would have struck the ground if it wasn't for Kaneki's other hand coming up to catch it. Hide glowered at the smirking jerk above him.

"You need to tuck your chin into your chest when you fall. Unless you want to get another concussion?" Kaneki was breathing hard, cheeks flushed from exertion.

Hide heard the door open to the gym and footsteps. They suddenly stopped. "What the hell are you two losers doing?" Nishio regarded them, pushing his glasses up.

Hide finally became acutely aware of what kind of position they were in. Kaneki was on his elbows and his hand was still under Hide's head, cradling it gently. His other arm was planted next to his head. He was kneeling over his hips and Hide became aware that he could feel the heat from his body. And Hide? Well, he was splayed under him, panting hard and now very, very red in the face.

"Whatever." Nishio murmured. "You two finish… whatever the hell you're doing. I'll come back later." He left, waving over his shoulder in response to Kaneki's half-hearted wave.

As soon as the door slammed shut Hide scowled at Kaneki. "Would you _please _–"

"_Please what?"_ Kaneki teased, leaning down close to Hide's ear, voice low and rasping, obviously very conscious of Hide's reaction to him. "Is there something you want me to _do?_"

There was definitely something Hide wanted him to do, but he swallowed back the urge and hissed through his teeth. "_Yes. That would be getting _off _of me._"

Kaneki complied, laughing and lifting himself up and pulling Hide with him. With a quiet 'goodnight' he left the room, leaving Hide trying to calm the pounding of his heart and tone down the vibrant red in his cheeks. He quickly decided he definitely needed a cold shower and something to cover the front of his pants if he couldn't calm down in the next few minutes.

* * *

><p>Hide had to focus. He couldn't react to the glances Kaneki was sending him every few minutes, or the questioning one's that all of his other subordinates seemed to be sending them. This was his first day back on the job and he had stay focused. Just in case anything happened. Anything at all.<p>

Most likely nothing would happen. That was always the best case scenario. But, sure enough, nearing the end of his shift, the alarm went off. Nishio and Yoshimura stood. Kaneki offered to come, but Yoshimura waved him off. Kaneki and Touka's shift was over.

They left for their job. When Hide glanced over his shoulder, Kaneki was watching his back with a worried expression.

* * *

><p>They were responding the stress reading in an area rising. It was determined to be coming from one person, but the drones in the area had yet to find the source, so they were tasked with finding the person. The target seemed to staying in the area for quite some time, and by the time they got there, their target was still there.<p>

Hide breathed into his hands, trying to warm them in the cool night air. Yoshimura offered him his gloves, but he declined. It was his fault for not bringing any.

"Kaneki seems to have taken a liking to you." Yoshimura said fondly as he surveyed the street, looking for their potential target. Nishio was on lookout, on a nearby roof, so he could easily track the latent criminal if they tried to run.

"Does it really seem that way?" Hide mumbled, blushing a little.

Yoshimura smiled. "Yes, it does. He is protective of those he cares for and he seemed very concerned about you leaving tonight. It took us months to get him out of the habit of wanting to go on every mission 'just in case it didn't go right'." At this point Yoshimura seemed to be talking to himself. "Hopefully he doesn't fall back into that pattern."

Hide nodded. "You talk about him like he's you're child."

Yoshimura chuckled. "I suppose they are all like that to me. Touka, Nishio, Hinami and yes, Kaneki too." He looked up suddenly, eyes trained on someone moving through the crowd. "I believe that is our target."

"Where?" Hide arched his neck, trying to see what Yoshimura was. "How can you tell?"

"Enforcers know their own kind." Yoshimura smiled. "You can see it in their eyes… let's get a move on, before we lose her." Yoshimura led the way on the street, Hide trailing close behind.

"Uh…" Hide fidgeted uneasily. "Aren't we going to get our Dominators?"

Yoshimura shook his head. "There should be no need for them today. Your first mission was rather unusual. We can usually do things without, but if we do need them, we can have them delivered within a minute, so don't worry."

They came up close behind a woman they assumed to be the target. Yoshimura tapped her shoulder lightly and she turned around. "Excuse me ma'am, but would you let me take a reading of your psycho pass?"

She jerked back, surprise darting across her face. When she lifted her head, Hide could see the makeup around her eyes was smudged, as if she had been crying. She nodded and Hide sighed in relief. Yoshimura took her reading and raised his eyebrows when it was over two hundred.

"You seem to have had a hard time. If you could come with us, you can get the therapy you need." He put his hand on her bicep and she let him guide her along.

…

When Yoshimura, Nishio and he returned, Kaneki was still waiting up on the couch, a cup of coffee in his hand and a book in his lap. Nishio snorted and went to help himself to a cup of the coffee Kaneki made. Yoshimura nodded to him and sent Hide a small, encouraging smile.

Hide went over and Kaneki moved his legs off the seat so Hide would have room to sit. "You waited up for us?"

Kaneki mumbled something and put his book down. Hide couldn't help but notice it was still open to the first page, as if Kaneki hadn't read any of it. Was he really that worried?

"You didn't have to." In truth, Hide was glad he did. It made him feel good that he cared.

Kaneki sighed. "I probably wouldn't have been able to sleep anyway."

Hide raised his eyebrows at that, but he decided not to bite. He most likely wouldn't have gotten an answer anyway. He had noticed the dark circles that adjourned Kaneki's eyes when he first met him and observed how they persisted for the weeks he knew him. Hide knew he had trouble sleeping without him having to say anything.

"You can lay your head in my lap if you want. If you think it would help." Hide was just joking, trying to keep the tone light. He wasn't expecting for Kaneki to grin in challenge and actually do it. He was normally a shy guy, with his gentle tone when taking, despite some of the vulgar things he would say, and his awkward way of standing off to the side, as if feeling out of place. But, he sure could act confident when he was feeling comfortable enough.

"Why, thank you. I think it does." He closed his eyes and Hide felt him shaking slightly. Maybe he _was_ nervous?

Hide blushed and rolled his eyes. He had a lot harder of a time resisting the urge to run his hand through Kaneki's hair than he would like to admit. He mused over what to say for the next few minutes, and when he looked down, he was surprised to find that Kaneki had actually fallen asleep. His face was relaxed and his mouth was slightly opened as he breathed deeply and peacefully.

Hide froze, unsure what to do. Should he try to move him without waking him up? He would have, but he didn't know how often the man actually got the chance to sleep. No, there was no way Hide could move him. He rolled his head up and looked at the ceiling. He wondered if _he_ would even get the chance to go home and sleep that night.

**Author's Note:**Thank you for reading! Thank you to FreakyFee94 for the review!


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: Fear**

A package hit Kaneki in the face as he lumbered over to the coffee maker early in the morning. He caught it before it could fall to the floor and threw Touka a quizzical look. She returned one.

"You seem to be getting awfully comfortable with the new investigator." She murmured, offering Kaneki an already made cup of coffee.

He flinched and glanced towards Hide, who had fallen asleep on the couch with him last night. He had a pillow under his head and a blanket draped over him, compliments from Kaneki when he had woken up. "What about it?" He turned and headed towards his seat, going to read the report on the mission that had landed Hide and he in the hospital. It had finally come out.

Touka grabbed his arm, jerking him to a stop. "Are you sure that's a good idea?"

Kaneki gently pried her fingers off his arm and continued on his way. He sipped his coffee and read over the report slowly, pausing once he read a certain part. He glanced over to where Hide was sleeping on the couch and frowned.

'_Nagachika Hideyoshi sustained a concussion during the explosion and was not capable of the recollection of details from events afterwards'._

He put the report down and clasped his hands together. He supposed the chief didn't believe what Hide had said. Kaneki wouldn't have either, if he hadn't seen it himself. He would have wanted to go and give his side of the story to the chief, but he didn't think that would work either.

It seemed it was only Hide and he that knew about that man and the Dominator he carried. He would have to tell the others. Hopefully, they would believe him.

He cast a glance at the man snoring at the couch and went to go train in the gym. Maybe the blonde would join him later.

* * *

><p>Hide woke to a sharp finger jabbing him in the side. He winced and shot up, finding Touka glaring at him.<p>

"Are you planning to sleep all day?" She grumbled, retracting her arm. "Get up. Kaneki's already training in the gym and is probably waiting for you. He is training you, isn't he?"

"Y-yeah." He struggled with the blanket covering his legs.

"There's something I wanted to talk to you about first." Touka plopped down on the couch next to him, arms and legs crossed.

Hide offered a small smile. "Sure?"

Touka glared at him and his smile wavered. "If Kaneki lets you in… don't you _dare_ shut him out."

Hide blanched. "Why would I do that?" He couldn't imagine…

"I don't know why _you_ would. But, I'm warning you, _don't_. Or you'll have Nishio and me to deal with."

He was well aware Kaneki had baggage. He was sure all enforcers did. But the way Touka said it, it had to be something major. And the way Kaneki spoke with feigned confidence, even as he was trembling underneath the façade, and the dark circles that permeated the skin under his eyes…

"Something awful happened to him." Touka's wide eyes met his. "You're afraid that if he gets too close to me, I'll end up hurting him. I wouldn't…"

"You say you wouldn't. But, do you really know? You know absolutely nothing! You've just stepped into this side of the world! The side normally kept from the public! _You haven't seen the types of things we have._ _You don't know the awful capabilities of humans._" Touka's was raised to a shout and her teeth were bared as she seethed.

"Touka –" Hide started

Her voice dropped down to a harsh whisper. _"You can't even imagine. So don't say you wouldn't end up hurting him. You –"_

"_Touka._ That's enough." Kaneki's softly interrupted from across the room with an unreadable expression. "Quit harassing him." His eyes met Touka's and he scowled suddenly, turning to stride out of the room.

"_Wait. Kaneki I – shit."_ She chased after him, leaving Hide staring at the floor awkwardly. Should he go after them? It was probably best not to for now. They would sort it out eventually, and he being there probably wouldn't help at all. No, as a matter of fact, it would make it worse, far worse.

He threw himself down on the couch and groaned. This _was not_ a good way to start the day. He didn't want to even know what the rest of it had in store for him. Touka was pissed off, Kaneki was pissed off, Nishio was _always_ pissed off and Yoshimura was nowhere in sight.

Hide realized he was forgetting about someone when a head was shyly peeked around the corner of where Touka and Kaneki left.

"Hinami." Hide had to admit, he was glad to see someone he could talk to. Well, hopefully. Hide only saw her occasionally when he was in the infirmary and they never actually talked.

But, it seemed like she had something to say to him. "Sorry about my big sister. She's just… she's really worried about Kaneki."

She made her way into the room as Hide smiled. "She worries a lot, doesn't she?"

Hinami smiled back and nodded. "She really cares about everyone. But, um… she takes time to warm up to people."

Hide chuckled. "I couldn't tell." He sighed. "She and I seemed to get off on the wrong foot anyway. I hope I can get back on her good side."

"You seem like a nice person…" Hinami murmured, almost to herself. She took a seat on the couch at well and Hide noticed she was carrying something. "Um… I was going to ask my big brother, but…" She held a book, "could you tell me what this word says?"

Oh. He supposed a girl like her wouldn't be able to go to school to learn. "Ah, sure."

* * *

><p>Kaneki could hear the footsteps chasing after him, but he didn't turn around until he was sure Hide wouldn't be able to hear them talking. He and Touka had arguments often, though it was <em>not<em> often that he wasn't on the receiving end. He pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to regain his composure and inhaled sharply. He didn't like being upset with his friends. It left a sick feeling in his stomach and a foul taste in his mouth.

"Touka…"

"I'm sorry… it's just…" Touka sighed heavily, head turned to start at the ground. "I just don't want you to… _I'm concerned. Okay?"_ She looked up, hissed under her breath.

"I think I'm capable of making my own decisions, Touka," Kaneki muttered.

"I know that, but –"

"There are no 'but's to that. Stop trying to chase away every person I show a remote interest in." Kaneki bit his lip, clearly upset.

"I wouldn't call that a _remote_ interest, Kaneki." Touka glared up at him. "Are you even going to –"

"That's my decision."

"God _damn it_. Kaneki, you know I didn't mean _that._" Touka cursed internally. With him hearing her earlier conversation with Hide, _of course_ he would jump to that conclusion. She _knew _him. If he really did end up caring about the man, he would tell him. That was why…

"Then what _did _you mean." Tears touched the corners of Kaneki's eyes and she felt so, so very guilty. She wanted to pull him into a hug, but she knew he would push her away.

Touka sighed, trying to keep her tone as light as she could. "I meant… how do you expect to… you aren't opening up at all."

Kaneki winced and nodded. "I know. _I know._ I just…" He was afraid. He was afraid of rejection, just like Touka was afraid he would be rejected.

"You idiot." Touka gave into her earlier impulse and pulled the trembling man in his arms. He went easily into the hug, resting his head on her shoulder as she petted his hair comfortingly.

"I'm _trying._" He mumbled thickly.

Touka stroked his back with her other hand. "I know."

* * *

><p>Hide was still sitting on the couch with Hinami an hour later when Kaneki entered the room, hair damp from the shower he had just taken. His eyes were still red from crying, but thankfully the cold water brought down the swelling, making it less noticeable.<p>

Hinami smiled brightly when she saw him and she stood abruptly, gathering her things.

Hide supposed she was leaving then. "If you need help with anything else, you can just ask."

She nodded and glanced at Kaneki before giving Hide a little wink and running from the room.

Kaneki waved at her retreating back in confusion and turned to Hide. "I'm sorry, it's been kind of crazy today, hasn't it?" At least they didn't get called out on a job.

Hide shook his head. "Why are you apologizing? It's not like it's your fault."

"Ah, but Touka probably isn't going to. So, I felt like I had to."

Hide laughed. "Her ego won't allow it?"

"Something like that." Kaneki fidgeted, not really wanting him to dig any deeper. "Would you like some coffee?"

Hide nodded and followed Kaneki to the kitchen. "I haven't eaten yet either. What do you have here?"

"You can use the –"

Hide waved his hand. "I like _real_ food, not that simulated crap. Do you have anything good?" It was pretty limited these days. Though, it was still produced in some places.

Kaneki smiled. "There are some eggs in the fridge."

"_Score._" Hide took three and Kaneki put the frying pan on the small stove while Hide hunted for a spatula.

"Do you cook?" Kaneki asked.

"As much as I can! I started a couple of years ago. There were quite a few disasters back then…" Hide shook his head. "I think I'm alright though. I like to experiment with it. It's like an art that's been lost in our society, you know?"

"I honestly don't notice too much of a difference between the real thing and uh – 'that simulated crap'."

"What? Are your taste buds dead?" Hide shook his head, pointing his newly found spatula at Kaneki. "You're going to let me make you something sometime. No arguing. Then, you can rethink that statement of yours."

Kaneki poured his coffee, rolling his eyes at Hide. "Sure thing."

"Alright!" Hide was grinning impossibly bright. "How about supper tomorrow? Do you have any requests?"

Kaneki leaned into his palm. "Steak." He smiled into it as he watched Hide bustle around, looking for butter to grease the pan with.

"Your wish is my command!" Hide sang and Kaneki snorted.

The aroma of the cooking eggs filled the room and Kaneki wouldn't admit how good they smelled. If he hadn't eaten previously, his stomach would have growled. He guessed that something the simulated food lacked was the process of preparation.

When Hide was finished, he sat next to Kaneki at the table and took the cup of coffee Kaneki made for him.

"It's good." He murmured.

"Yoshimura used to work as a barista. He taught Touka and Nishio, and Touka taught me. I'm far from the best." He flushed slightly at the compliment and stared at the pattern of wood the table was made from.

"Okay! So it's decided! I'm going to make you steak and you're going to have to teach me how to make good coffee!" His grin turned to a frown and he admitted, "Whenever I make it, it tastes like crap."

Kaneki smirked. "I guess I have no choice then, do I?"

"Nope!"

"Alright then, what time are we doing this exactly?"

"Hmm." Hide rubbed his chin. "I get off at five… but I have to go out to buy the ingredients… so… let's say seven? Then I should be done cooking for eight."

"Do you want me to come shopping with you?" He hadn't been outside for any other reason than work for quite a while. "I work the morning shift with you and will be off at the same time."

"Sure!" Hide couldn't wait.

**Author's Note: **This chapter is over-due. Thank you to those reading and especially to those who reviewed: Calico The3Colors, FreakyFee94 and Sachiel Angelo.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: Dinner **

Kaneki picked up different fresh vegetables, turning them in his hand in interest. It had been _years_ since he had fresh food. Hide was just a little farther down the aisle, inspecting a few carrots to see if they were still good. Kaneki thought they looked fine, but most of them didn't meet Hide's standards.

After a few minutes Hide had a few varying vegetables in his basket, since he didn't just want steak for dinner. He had Kaneki carry the thinly cut meat in a different basket. Humming, Hide led Kaneki down the spice aisle, claiming he was running short of a few things. He was done collecting them before Kaneki even caught up to him, and he spun suddenly, a grin on his face.

"I got what I need." He nodded to Kaneki.

Kaneki sighed and began walking, scanning the aisles for coffee beans. It was a regular department store, so it wasn't like he could get anything too fancy. He came across a dark roasted bean. He was drawn by their scent and decided to choose them.

He stopped suddenly, glancing at Hide. "Do you have a grinder –"

"Yep! I should have everything you need!" Hide didn't say he pulled Touka aside to ask what he would need. He hoped he wasn't lied to.

They made their way to the checkout and stood awkwardly as the line slowly moved forward. Kaneki was glad when they finally left. He _was_ definitely happy to get out of the store. It was nice to be outside with some degree of freedom, but he couldn't help but feel out of place. It may have been because of his criminal coefficient, but even when he had a low one he didn't do too well around people. So, he was glad when it was finally just Hide and he in the car. It felt like it was easier to breathe.

Kaneki idly watched the city lights. Since the time they were in the store, the sky grew dark and he could just catch the faint glow of the sun past the horizon. When he refocused on his surroundings, he was surprised when he recognized the area.

"I used to live around here…" He murmured

"_What!_" Hide's loud exclamation made Kaneki flinch. "Oh _man_, we're almost at my apartment. What if you used to live in the same complex as I do?"

Kaneki snorted. "That's highly unlikely."

"_Still._" A minute later, Hide parked the vehicle in front of a building that was thankfully _not_ Kaneki's old apartment complex. It looked much newer and nicer than Kaneki's was on the outside.

It was the same on the inside. Hide turned on the hologram and Kaneki found a sunny interior which matched Hide's personality.

"It's nice." He commented, placing the bags he grabbed from the car on the counter.

Hide grinned. "Take a seat. Take a seat." He waved Kaneki over to the couch and pushed him down lightly before he could take a seat. Hide's hands remained on Kaneki's shoulders and he leaned up against the touch in anticipation, cheeks flushing. Suddenly, Hide turned, leaving Kaneki to stare at his back as he walked back towards the kitchen. Maybe it was just the light, but was that a smirk Kaneki saw on his face?

Kaneki shifted uncomfortably and resisted the urge to clear his throat to remove the tightness that was building up in it. It would only draw attention to him and he didn't want that until he got rid of the butterflies fluttering around in his stomach.

He didn't know if he would be able to.

He tried to tell himself that wasn't a bad thing. He tried to remember what Touka had said about opening up. It was okay to be nervous.

It made him feel weak. He hated it.

But… as long as it was Hide, it would be okay. Wouldn't it? He could trust Hide… couldn't he? Well, he was already sitting in his home, but that was different.

He didn't want Hide to abandon him. He didn't like to admit it, but he was already so invested in him. Whether it was being friends… or more… Hide was important to him. He didn't want to lose him.

"Hey."

Startled, Kaneki flinched and looked up to see Hide inches away from him with a gentle expression. When he found out about Kaneki's past would he be scared and back off? That was what Kaneki feared the most.

"I'm done preparing the steaks. Now we just have to wait a while." Hide glanced back towards the kitchen. "While we do, do you want to show me how to make good coffee?"

Kaneki nodded. Once he made some he would feel far more at ease. As he stood and went to the kitchen, Hide trailed after him happily, a big grin plastered across his face. There was a kettle set up and already heating some water, which meant they could start right then.

"All right! Show me some magic!" Hide pulled out the grinder had just bought, quickly realizing he had forgotten to remove the tag from it. He tried to do so without Kaneki noticing, but he got an eye roll in return.

"Well," Kaneki murmured. "Your first problem would be buying pre-ground coffee. At least you have _that_ now."

"Hey. _Hey_." Hide shook his head, whining. "Here I thought you were going to teach me how to make coffee, _not_ ridicule me!" He turned to the cupboard to pull out the rest of his supplies.

Despite his worries, Kaneki found himself smiling. "I _am _teaching you how to make coffee. I never said anything about not ridiculing you."

Hide was about to retort, but Kaneki turned on the grinder, filling the room with the harsh noise. Kaneki watched it intensely while Hide covered his ears.

"I don't think I would even need coffee in the morning with that thing to wake me up." Hide scowled as Kaneki finally turned off the machine.

Hide leaned forward as Kaneki showed him the grounds. "You want it to be about that consistency since you have cone shaped filters."

Hide nodded after a few seconds and rested his elbows on the counter as Kaneki assembled the filter unit with the coffee pot under it. He waved Hide over again.

"This is how much I usually put in." He pointed to the grounds. "You can take or give depending on how strong you like it."

Kaneki leaned against the counter beside Hide as they waited for the water in the kettle to boil. Kaneki could feel Hide staring at his face and it was making him extremely uncomfortable.

"What?" He muttered.

Hide rubbed the back of his head, laughing. "Oh. Nothing…" But, he kept doing it. Honestly, Kaneki felt like a he was being put under a microscope. The longer it dragged on, the more he fidgeted.

At last the kettle whistled and Hide was startled into looking away. Kaneki breathed a sigh of relief. He let Hide pour the water over the grounds, scolding him for his unsteady hand. Kaneki's annoyance only seemed to make the blonde grin more. It was unsettling.

A few minutes later they were seated at the dining table. Hide finally took a sip of his coffee after blowing on it for an exceptionally long time. "It's good."

Kaneki simply hummed. His eyes were closed and his mug was held close to his face, the steam warming his lips. Every once in a while he would take a small sip, drinking slowly as he savoured the taste. He was right, it was helping him calm down. He felt like his nerves were unraveling after being bunched up for the majority of the day.

He didn't even notice when Hide got up, leaving his empty mug on the table, until he heard the sound of something sizzling in the kitchen. He was about to get up to follow Hide to the kitchen, but Hide abruptly pointed at him.

"Sorry, but _I'm_ cooking for _you._ Sit your ass back down." He didn't turn around, but Kaneki could hear his grin in his voice.

"But what if I wanted to learn how to cook?"

"I said I would make you a steak. I _never said anything _about teaching you how to cook." Hide turned and Kaneki could definitely see his mocking smile.

Kaneki pursed his lips and turned back to his coffee, glaring into its depths. "Fine."

"You look adorable when you're pouting," Hide called.

Kaneki sputtered in surprise, cheeks beginning to flame against his will. "Idiot. Stop watching me and pay attention to your food."

"Uh-huh."

The butterflies were back in his stomach, far worse than before. He brought the mug back up to his lips, partially hiding his face from Hide's acute observation. By the time Hide was coming back to the table with a plate in each hand, the blush still hadn't died down from his cheeks.

The steak was drizzled with a dark sauce and there were a few raw vegetable garnishing the side of the dish.

"It looks good. Thank you." Kaneki cautiously picked up his fork and knife, cutting himself a small piece. Hide hadn't even touched his yet, as he was staring at Kaneki attentively, measuring his reaction as he popped the small piece in his mouth.

He wasn't expecting Kaneki to stiffen, a look of shock coming over him. Hide was about to make a comment along the lines of: 'I told you the _real_ stuff is _way_ better', but Kaneki carefully put the utensils down and placed a palm over his mouth as he slowly swallowed.

Hide wondered if he had fucked up while cooking it. Did he put in too much seasoning? Was it still cold on the inside? "Is it not good? I –"

"No! No. Sorry! I just –" Kaneki gaped down at the steak in awe.

Hide grinned. "Okay, come on man. It's not that _good_ –" He froze as he saw a tear run down Kaneki's cheek. "–Hey. You okay?"

Kaneki nodded, murmuring more apologies as he rubbed his eyes and laughed lightly. "It… tastes just like my mom used to make." He shook his head. "I didn't think I would get to taste anything like this again."

Hide bit his lip, immediately regretting stubbornly not letting Kaneki watch him make it. "I can give you the recipe, and when we get the chance… I could show you how to make it?"

"I – Yes. Please." Kaneki smiled and they ate.

"Here, give me your plate." Hide held out his hand once Kaneki was finished.

Kaneki gave it over. "Do you want help with the dishes?"

"Nah." Hide waved his hand, gesturing to the clock. "I'll do them sometime tomorrow. It's getting late." Indeed, it was. Kaneki wanted to be back before Amon finished his shift. He didn't want to cause the man any unnecessary anxiety.

"Yeah, alright." Kaneki waited for Hide by the front door as he got his jacket. "I really want to thank you for tonight."

Hide smiled lightly. "it's –"

"No, really. Thank you. It meant a lot to me." Kaneki was earnest, eyes wide and with a soft expression that would have been far more characteristic of his old self than the person we was now. Hide's expression sobered as well as he dropped his typical grin and joking expression.

Hide wasn't sure which one of them stepped forward, but suddenly they were really close. Hide could see Kaneki lick his lips as he felt a hand curl loosely in his hair. He felt Kaneki's breath on his lips, and he parted them slightly as his breath hitched and his eyes widened. He was just about to reach forward, to cover the rest of the distance between them, when Kaneki quickly stepped back, clearing his throat and looking away.

"We should get going." He huffed, clearing his throat again and looking very uncomfortable.

Hide nodded. "Right." He noticed, but didn't mention, the wide distance of space Kaneki gave between them.

The ride home was extremely awkward, the only other words exchanged being quiet and hurried 'goodnight's.

**Author's Note:** Next chapter you will get some explanation of why Kaneki was allowed to so easily leave for something not related to work. And also some emotions and stuff. Thank you for reading! Thank you to those who have reviewed: Sachiel Angelo, FreakyFee94, xXxDisillusionsxXx, blackkyu and two guests! :)


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6: Memories **

"Welcome back." Amon greeted Kaneki the minute he re-entered the facility. His shift had just ended and he too, was getting ready to get home. "How did it go?"

"It was good… I enjoyed it…" Kaneki glanced down at the floor, trailing off and blushing slightly. His thoughts seemed to be somewhere else. "Thank you."

Amon waved his hand dismissively. "It was no problem. Just give me more notice next time." The chief would let them get away with it a few times, but if the sudden outings kept occurring, the chief would get on his back.

Kaneki nodded his affirmation and tiredly made his way to the living quarters. Amon supposed all the social interaction had tired him out.

He wasn't worried that Kaneki would run off, but the chief didn't know Kaneki the way he did. Kaneki would never leave his friends – the people he cared about – behind. They were everything to him. Kaneki would never abandon them for his own freedom.

Amon was glad Kaneki spent some time outside of the facility, doing normal things with a normal person. He hoped the new relationship he was forming with Hideyoshi would do well for him. Kaneki damn well deserved some semblance to the normal life he should have had. But, Amon knew he could never return to something like his old life.

He knew that the moment they found him, bloodied and beaten, arms bound behind him and eyes which seemed far deader than anything else. He remember the dried streaks of tears that cut through the blood on his cheeks, and how when they carried him out, not a single other one fell. That is until Touka sat beside him as they waited for the ambulance, gently pulling his head into her lap to give him some form of support and petted his hair lightly while whispering words Amon couldn't hear. Kaneki seemed very reluctant to let her go when the ambulance finally arrived.

He also remembered how her face was also streaked with tears by the time they were back at headquarters, murmured about how awful the world was.

Indeed, out of all the crime scenes he had walked into, that was probably the worst. He had trouble filling out his reports, and by the time Kaneki's medical report reached him, he was reaching for the garbage can before he emptied his stomach on the floor.

He was surprised, when a week later, a new enforcer was announced to be joining them, and Kaneki walked in. He was still healing from his surgeries, bandages covering his body, but a determined look on his face and a fire in his eyes that Amon had never seen before. They showed him around the facility, and Amon made sure to give him the type of training he could handle – that is non-physical – to make sure he would be prepared for a grueling regiment for when he healed. Amon was worried, but Kaneki exceeded all of his expectations, seeming to take the knowledge he had read and apply it tentatively at first, but effectively.

He proved to be a valuable asset, with both his physical capabilities and his unwavering loyalty. Though his quiet nature had him concerned, it appeared he opened up to Touka first. Their friendship blossomed and eventually he seemed to accept the others in the group. Amon was glad, happy to see the rare smiles that made their way to Kaneki face, but he was always worried, especially on the days the circles under his eyes were particularly dark and when he would seem to withdraw back into himself just a bit, his eyes having a haunting resemblance to the ones he had when they first found him.

He seemed even better now that Hideyoshi was around, though Amon wasn't sure if it was product of his unique presence, or if was just general progress made on Kaneki's part. Either way, Kaneki _had _appeared to make progress, and Amon was grateful for that. He just hoped it would continue going as well as it was.

* * *

><p>Hide threw himself down onto his bed, burying his face in his pillow and groaning lightly. The night had went well, sure, but he was worried he scared Kaneki away at the end of it. He wasn't even sure of how <em>that <em>happened. Not that _anything _really happened, but still he really, really hoped the next day wouldn't be too awkward between the two of them.

He was fine being just friends with him. He truly was. But he couldn't deny the rush of emotions he got when he thought of them being something more. He wanted to kick himself, because _god damn_ he had never fallen for anyone as quickly as he had for Kaneki and he really hoped his feelings wouldn't cause him to make stupid mistakes.

What mattered the most to him was how Kaneki felt, and he in no way wanted to ruin his relationship with him. He was such a sweet and surprisingly delicate person. Hide in no way wanted to hurt him.

He turned over, but with thoughts of the white-haired man running rampant through his mind, he wasn't sure he would be able to sleep that night.

* * *

><p>Kaneki woke up panting, his hair plastered to his forehead. Traces of his dreams – his memories –continued to disturb him and he clutched at his chest, trying to calm his heartbeat before he began hyperventilating. He could taste his blood in his mouth and realized he must have bitten his lip at some point. He pushed the thoughts away as he lifted himself from his bed, unsteadily rising to his feet.<p>

He could still hear the rustling sound in his ear, and resisted the overwhelming urge to scratch at it. He didn't want to go in for another surgery to repair the artificial parts in his ear, which replaced all the damaged pieces, to enable him to hear out of it.

Cringing, he shuffled out of his room and went to the one next to his, knocking lightly on the door. He leaned heavily against the doorframe as he heard a few locks opening and a very tired looking Touka opened the door wide.

She rubbed her eyes, blinking heavily until they focused. The second she took in the sight of Kaneki, an arm went around him, helping support his weight. She didn't say anything until she closed the door and guided Kaneki to her bed, lying down next to him. "Do you need me to get you something?"

Kaneki was about to shake his head, but he stopped. "M-music." He choked out, making him aware of how tight his throat had gotten. His palms came up to cover his ears, fingers curled like claws.

Touka nodded, taking his hands in hers and pressing them to his chest. "Hang tight. I'll be right back."

The next thing Kaneki was aware of was the headphones being put on him, and the ipod being handed to him. He pressed play and turned up the sound, not caring what type of song it was. He sighed when it started playing, blocking out the insistent rustling in his head.

Touka drew the blankets over them and tucked him into an embrace, pulling his head under her chin and stroking his hair lightly. He liked it. It was comforting. His mother used to pet his hair like that. He nestled into the embrace tighter and squeezed his eyes shut. He could hear Touka murmuring things in a soothing voice, but he couldn't understand what she was saying.

Her other hand massaged his back and he slowly felt himself begin to relax, the persistent tremors running through him stopping as exhausting swept over him, pulling him under.

* * *

><p>Touka sighed, staring down at the sleeping man. Though, when he was like that, he look more like a boy, his face slack and free from worry, mouth open slightly as he breathed. The music was still playing, but Touka didn't turn it off, knowing that if she did, Kaneki would probably wake back up. His hands were balled into fists, clutched in the front of her shirt. She carefully rubbed his knuckles, getting him to release her so she get up to turn the lights back off.<p>

When she returned to the bed she wrapped her arms around him again and he unconsciously pressed himself closer to her, relaxing further into his sleep. There were small trickles of tears that made it from his eyes earlier and she brushed her thumb across his cheeks, removing their remnants.

Kaneki would feel guilty when he woke up. He always did. He spewed apologies like there was no end to them until Touka eventually got tired of it and told him to shut up. She knew how much he needed someone to be there when he woke up from nightmares, or when something triggered his memories. She didn't mind being the person he ran to. She cared for him. If she could, she would always be there for him.

She closed her eyes too, deciding it would only make Kaneki feel worse in the morning if she woke up looking like a zombie.

* * *

><p>Kaneki woke up just under half an hour before Touka's alarm went off. She was snoring loudly, her leg thrown over his abdomen and she was flipped over on her stomach with an arm hanging off the bed along with half of her head.<p>

Kaneki groaned, rubbing his eyes. The headphones had come off his head at some point during the night. They had fallen on the carpet along with the now dead ipod. He rolled of the bed, careful not to wake Touka and made his way over to the other side of the bed. He pulled back the blanket and rolled her back onto the bed, replacing a pillow under her head. Before he could tuck her back in, an arm swung at his head and he narrowly ducked under it.

Touka was kind of a violent sleeper.

He wrapped her in the blanket, restricting her movements somewhat. He smiled as she groaned, mumbling a few incoherent things and her voice dissolved back into snores.

He picked up the headphones and made sure to charge the ipod for Touka. She would probably get tired of hearing Nishio's voice after an hour or so, and would get pissed off if she didn't have anything to ignore him with.

Kaneki went to Touka's small personal bathroom, where a tiny single-cup coffee maker was set on one side of the counter by the sink, with a mug and a few small containers which contained coffee she had probably grounded at some point during the week. On the other side of the counter were normal bathroom things, like soap and a few products Touka used. It was a whole lot less taken care of than the coffee side.

He straightened his hair and washed his face, marveling at how little work could make him feel and look so much better. He pinched his cheeks, trying to add a little colour to the pale skin. It made him look a little more alive, but it still didn't help his eyes.

He was tired and feeling like shit from his breakdown during the night. He would have liked to stay in bed all day, but he couldn't do that. If something happened, he wanted to be there. Also, he was kind of looking forward to seeing Hide.

He washed Touka's mug – a bright coloured thing covered in cartoonish rabbit figures – which was probably left from the previous morning and still had about an inch of coffee at the bottom. He focused on the simple task, finding it offered some relief from his scattered thoughts and the painful headache brought on from the stress from the night.

He brewed a cup for her, peeking his head out of the bathroom to check the time. Touka would be awake in five minutes. While Kaneki would have liked to shut off her alarm and give her a more peaceful awakening, he wasn't risking getting punched or kicked.

Sure enough, a few minutes later he heard an unrelenting beeping followed by a few muffled profanities.

It seemed it was going to be a long day for both of them.

**Author's Note:** Hello everyone! Just wanted to say I know how slow this story is updating (for my writing anyway), and I just wanted to warn you the next chapter may take especially long since this month is insanely packed with midterms and assignments for me. Anyway, hopefully the majority of my stress will be rid of after this month is over, and I may be back to updating more and get this story rolling. There probably won't be an update until this month is over, and if it does update, it means I am procrastinating.

For those interested I may be posting the first chapter to a Tsukikane story sometime in the next two weeks. It's sitting nearly done in my files and I just need to close it off.

Also, I will be posting for Touken Smut Week on my AO3 profile during the set week. Thankfully, I already wrote most of that.

Anyway, what I'm saying is just because I will be posting, I will not be writing actively too much during this month, so don't worry, this story is continuing and I am not ignoring it for the sake of others.

Now that my rant is over, thank you to those who have read and especially to those who read my rant (really, thank you). Thank you to those who reviewed: Simply Chaotic, xXxDisillusionsxXx, blackkyu, Sachiel Angelo.


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